How to Reset Cricut Air 2: Power, Firmware and Bluetooth

Quick answer: How to reset Cricut Air 2 depends on what is stuck, because Cricut doesn’t publish a factory reset for this machine. Power cycle it first. If the power light is solid red with a white Load button, rerun the firmware update. If it won’t connect, unpair it everywhere and re-pair it (PIN 0000). If it stalls with a blinking red light, clear the carriage path.

I went looking for a hidden reset button combo for the Explore Air 2. Cricut’s help center doesn’t list one. Those “hold these two buttons while you switch it on” tricks floating around random blogs don’t come from Cricut, so I’d skip them.

What you do get is four genuine resets (power, firmware, Bluetooth and the carriage path) plus a short fix for the Smart Set dial. The trick is matching the reset to the symptom, because when you pick the right one first you skip an hour of reinstalling software that was never broken in the first place.

Why an Air 2 Needs a Reset

These are the usual culprits, most common first, pulled from Cricut’s troubleshooting pages for its Explore and Maker lines.

1. A frozen session. The cutter stops mid-job or ignores Design Space. Restarting both the machine and the computer clears most of these.
2. Firmware that’s outdated or half-installed. Cricut says a solid red power light with a white Load button usually means an update is due.
3. A stale Bluetooth pairing. The Air 2 uses classic Bluetooth, so it pairs through your computer or phone settings, and an old pairing can block a new one.
4. Debris on the roller bar. A blinking red light while loading or cutting often points to dust or scraps in the carriage path.
5. Power trouble. A solid red light with nothing else lit points to the outlet, cord or adapter. Not the electronics.

How to Reset Cricut Air 2, Step by Step

Work down this list and stop as soon as the cutter behaves. Don’t skip the first one. I’d never jump to a firmware reinstall when a ten-second power cycle might have done it.

Reset 1: Power Cycle the Machine and Computer

1. Close Design Space.
2. Switch the Air 2 off and unplug it.
3. Restart your computer, tablet or phone.
4. Wait about a minute, then plug back in and power on.
5. Reconnect and retry the project.

Cricut’s pages use a 30 to 60 second unplug for its newer models, and the same pause does no harm here. If only one project keeps failing while every other file cuts fine, Cricut says that file itself may be corrupted, so my move would be to rebuild it rather than resetting the machine again. Easy to overlook.

Reset 2: Rerun the Firmware Update

Solid red power light, white Load button? This is your fix.

1. Connect the Air 2 by USB cable or Bluetooth. USB is steadier.
2. Open Design Space on a computer.
3. Open the menu at the top right and choose Settings > Machines > Update Firmware > Start.
4. Let the progress bar run. Cricut says the power button glows red during a USB update and purple during a Bluetooth one.
5. The machine restarts itself when finished. Click Done.

On the phone app, the path is the menu at the top left, then Machine Setup.

My advice? Use a laptop and a cable for this job. Bluetooth works, but I don’t like gambling a firmware write on a wireless link that drops whenever you walk away with your phone.

Here’s the part most people miss. If an update gets interrupted, Cricut says the light stays on and the cutter won’t let you power it down. That isn’t a dead machine, so reopen Design Space and start the update over.

Still failing? Power cycle, then check that your device meets Design Space’s minimum system requirements. Cricut suggests trying a different computer that does.

Reset 3: Reset the Bluetooth Pairing

Cricut puts the Air 2 in its “Bluetooth Classic + USB” group. In practice that means the pairing lives in your device’s own Bluetooth menu, not inside Design Space. Cricut’s sequence:

1. Unpair the cutter from every device it has ever paired with.
2. Unplug it.
3. Restart your computer or mobile device.
4. Plug the machine back in and turn it on.
5. Keep it within 15 feet of the device.
6. Confirm Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are both on, then update Design Space.
7. Pair again. If you’re asked for a PIN, Cricut says to type 0000.

Two quirks caught my eye in Cricut’s notes.

Windows sometimes lists a Cricut as an “Audio” device, and on Windows 11 some machines stay hidden until you switch Bluetooth devices discovery from “Default” to “Advanced.” Phones and Macs have their own permission switches too. On macOS Sonoma (14) or later, Cricut says to open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Bluetooth and turn on Cricut Design Space. On Android 13 and newer, the app may need its “nearby devices” permission before it can see the cutter at all.

If you’ve reset the pairing twice and the machine still won’t show up, the full walkthrough lives in our guide on why a Cricut won’t connect.

Reset 4: Clear the Carriage Path

A blinking red light calls for a different kind of reset. Cricut’s advice changes with the moment it starts blinking:

• At power-on or during a firmware update: contact Cricut Member Care. Don’t keep cycling it.
• While loading a mat: power off and slide the carriage across the roller bar 3 to 4 times to sweep out debris.
• While cutting: power off and push the carriage back and forth at least six times. Then try a fresh mat, make sure nothing crowds the space behind the cutter, and swap in a different blade and housing.

Reset 5: The Smart Set Dial Does Nothing

The Smart Set dial is an Explore-series part, and Cricut has a short checklist when turning it doesn’t change the material shown in Design Space:

1. Check that the USB cable is seated firmly at both ends.
2. Disconnect and power off the cutter, then restart the computer.
3. Try another USB port.
4. Look for a firmware update.
5. Try a different USB cable. Cricut notes a standard printer cable often has the same connector.

If the dial physically won’t turn, don’t force it. That’s a Member Care job.

If It Keeps Pausing, Don’t Reset It

Frequent pauses over Bluetooth usually aren’t a machine fault at all. Cricut’s fixes are about the computer: keep it 10 to 15 feet away or closer with nothing in between, close heavy apps like video calls, streaming and backups, and stop other Bluetooth audio. If the pauses continue, switch to the USB cable.

I think this is where people waste the most time. They reset the cutter five times. Meanwhile the real problem is a laptop busy uploading a thousand photos to the cloud in the background, starving the Bluetooth link of attention.

What a Reset Won’t Fix

A reset clears software and connection trouble. It can’t sharpen a dull blade, restore a mat that has lost its grip, or fix a material setting that doesn’t match what’s on the mat.

If the Air 2 powers on, connects and moves normally but the cuts come out torn or only half through, that’s a cut pressure problem, and Cricut treats it separately. Honestly, I’d check the dial setting and the blade before blaming the electronics.

What Each Power Light Means

Light on an Explore/Maker machine	What Cricut says it means	Reset to try
Solid red, Load button white	Firmware update needed	Reset 2
Solid red, nothing else lit	Power problem	New outlet, no power strip, check cords and adapter
Blinking red at power-on	Machine error	Contact Member Care
Blinking red while loading or cutting	Debris or an obstruction	Reset 4
Red during a USB update	Update in progress	Wait
Purple during a Bluetooth update	Update in progress	Wait

For the power case, Cricut suggests a different wall outlet (ideally not a power strip), checking each cord connection, keeping cables out of the material path and confirming the adapter’s own light is on. Use only a Cricut adapter certified for your model.

When to Call Cricut Member Care

I’d stop resetting and contact Cricut when:

• The light blinks red at power-on or mid-update.
• A firmware update fails again after a power cycle, on a computer that meets the requirements.
• The Smart Set dial won’t turn.
• The carriage slams into the side, or a new grinding noise appears. Cricut asks for a short video with sound.

One last check before you call. If the Air 2 is loud but still working, Cricut suggests seeing whether Fast Mode is on and lowering cut pressure by 2 to 4 points. Cuts that fail outright have their own fixes in our guide on why a Cricut is not cutting, and there’s more in Cutting Machines.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Cricut Explore Air 2 Have a Factory Reset?

Cricut’s help center doesn’t list one. The resets Cricut documents are a power cycle, a firmware update through Design Space, re-pairing Bluetooth and clearing debris from the carriage path.

What Is the Bluetooth PIN for a Cricut Explore Air 2?

Cricut says to enter 0000 if a PIN is requested. Newer machines usually don’t ask, but the Air 2 and older models may.

Why Is My Cricut Air 2 Power Light Red?

Solid red plus a white Load button usually means a firmware update is needed. Solid red with nothing else lit points to power. Blinking red means an error, and when it blinks tells you which fix to try.

Can I Turn Off My Cricut During a Firmware Update?

Cricut says an interrupted update keeps the light on and stops you powering off. Restart the update in Design Space instead, and the cutter reboots itself once it finishes.

Is Resetting a Cricut Maker the Same as an Air 2?

Mostly. Cricut groups the Explore and Maker series together for power lights, firmware and Bluetooth fixes. The Smart Set dial steps apply only to Explore models, since the Maker doesn’t have one.

Last updated: November 10, 2026. Sources: Cricut: Explore and Maker machine troubleshooting, Cricut: firmware update for Explore and Maker, Cricut: Bluetooth and USB connection help and Cricut: Smart Set dial is not working.